The large-scale mural Recipe for a little landscape reimagines traditional representations of the Korean landscape via worlds enabled by digital technology. Set against a peaceful mountain backdrop, the mural depicts a woman and rabbit embracing each other, as well as a tin of Spam and some humongous mushrooms. Thet wo protagonists are an homage to the Korean female filmmaker YimSoon-rye’s ground-breaking work in a male-dominated industry, as well as her animal rights activism. Introduced to Korea by the US Army during the Korean War, Spam has become a beloved ingredient in local cuisine and a popular holiday gift, but it is also a symbol of a traumatic past. Along with the mushrooms, the mural’s distinctive pixelation evokes the visual language of early video games such as Super Mario Bros., while nodding toward current gaming culture. In visualizing the dynamic tensions between past and present, Cuevas’s work transforms the lobby of the museum into an evolving environment where history, cultural lineage, and contemporary digital life collide.
